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Craven was Springbok coach in 1949, 1951/2, 1955 and 1956. I've not yet written anything about the 1949 All Black tour nor about the 1951/2 EOYT or the 1955 Bristh and Irish Lion tour.

However in the postings on the 1956 tour there are multiple references to Craven and even the odd video clip.

Craven had his flaws but was much revered and respected in SA and probably the best thing that happened to SA rugby. He was our North Star; the person that provided direction. He was a stability factor for SA rugby in a time when the country went through much political turnmoil. His presence kept the ship on course, intact and tidy in an enviroment/country characterised by outspokeness and split-ups ("dwarstrekkery' is the Afrikaans word which mean to pull sideways or to trek with your ox wagon in a different direction).

Rugby, politics and religion is probably the three domains in which most South African indulges with passion and abundance and which consequently causes the most arguments. Political parties came and went over the years and the church saw numerous split-ups leading to formation of new religious congregations. The fact that this did ot happen in rugby between the years 1930 to 1995 was largely, I believe, the result of the presence, authority and influence of Danie Craven.

It was also his status and international recognitions/contacts that allowed South Africa to bring tours to the country during the isolation years. Those tours kept SA rugby in the loop with international developments/evolutions and fostered new partnership. This culminated into the SANZAR partnership and the Super10/14/15 championship in 1996.

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2 Comments

"Craven had his flaws but was much revered and respected in SA and probably the best thing that happened to SA rugby".

Not just South African rugby. By the length of the straight Dr Daniel Hartman Carven was THE greatest rugby personality of the 20th century.

International player, coach, law-maker, adminstrator, author, sports academic, he ran South African rugby for 35 years (and the adminsitrative shambles it has been since he died showed what a great job he did).